Rightways to Success: Covid-19

Showing posts with label Covid-19. Show all posts

Wednesday, 29 November 2023

‘Follow SOP to check Covid-19’, Containing the rising spread

Mask up to be safe: People wearing face masks as a protective measure against air pollution and Covid-19 in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. — Filepic

Containing the rising spread

Keep safety measures up as the year-end holidays approach says health experts

PETALING JAYA: As Covid-19 caseloads increase, health experts say Malaysians must exercise vigilance to avoid catching the life-threatening disease and other infectious respiratory diseases such as influenza.

These experts say that keeping safety measures up, especially as the year-end holidays approach, can protect yourselves and others besides preventing both asymptomatic and symptomatic spread of respiratory illnesses, which are more dangerous for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children and chronically ill.

Public health medicine specialist Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said that during the year-end rainy and wet season, there will be many respiratory infection cases due to viruses.

He said the public should not only take measures to prevent Covid-19 but also other respiratory diseases and food and water-borne illnesses during these wet months.

“Covid-19 is still with us and can cause severe illness and even death. Practise SOP (standard operating procedure) like wearing a mask, washing hands, avoiding crowded places, seeking treatment and completing the immunisation schedule,” he said.

On Nov 23, the Health Ministry said that Covid-19 cases had risen by 28% between Nov 12 and 18 at 2,305 infections compared to 1,801 the week before.

ALSO READ: Daily confirmed cases steadily rising since September

Malaysian Medical Association president Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz said given that Covid-19 symptoms were now mild for most, there was a high likelihood of those infected not performing self-tests or isolating themselves. She also stressed on the use of face masks for those with flu-like symptoms and isolation if the individual is confirmed to contract Covid-19.

“Skipping these practices could be one of the main reasons why there is an increase in cases,” she said.

Dr Azizan said those with influenza should mask up when going around, adding that Covid-19-positive individuals should report themselves through the MySejahtera app.

She also reminded those in high-risk categories to ensure that they have received the recommended boosters and use a face mask when in crowded places and situations.

“The elderly are also recommended to take the influenza vaccine as they may have a weaker immune system. The same goes for children above six months of age,” she said. “And do not forget the good habits the pandemic has taught us: wash hands often with soap and water or use sanitiser.”

Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh said that while the recent 28% surge in cases was concerning, it had to be ascertained whether there was also a rise in virulence.

ALSO READ: Health Ministry to send report to PAC over Covid-19 management

The health economist and public health specialist with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia said there is a need to look at trends of Covid-19 admissions and patients with severe respiratory symptoms.On whether a major outbreak is possible, Dr Sharifa Ezat said it is unlikely “unless a new variant of concern comes up, and is highly virulent”.

She also advised patients with mild Covid-19 to wear a mask and get boosted if they have yet to do so, while those with severe symptoms should get tested and seek treatment.

“Immunocompromised populations are at higher risk of developing severe symptoms as well,” she said, referring to those with obesity, young children, the elderly and individuals with non-communicable diseases such as diabetes.

Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh said there has been a small increase in Covid-19 patients in private hospitals but the situation is still manageable.

“We have seen spikes after festive periods and we should be careful with very crowded places during gatherings,” he added.

Malaysian Pharmacists Society president Amrahi Buang said the new wave of infections was likely due to new variants and it has been happening in other countries as well, such as in Perth, Australia.

Last week, a surge in Covid-19 cases prompted the government of the Western Australian state to reintroduce face mask rules at Perth public hospitals.

Amrahi said the current rise in infections in Malaysia is concerning, adding that people have not been using MySejahtera to self-report.

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Monday, 4 September 2023

Watch out for new mutant strain, Omicron Subvariant BA.2.86, nicknamed Pirola

PETALING JAYA: The BA.2.86 subvariant of the Covid-19 virus, known as Pirola, has not landed in Malaysia yet but this newly-detected, highly-mutated variant of Omicron has raised concerns in countries such as the United States and Britain.

Public health expert Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said the BA.2.86 subvariant was highly infectious and could easily spread.

As such, he urged the public to get a booster shot and complete their recommended vaccination schedule.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia professor of public health Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh said the subvariant might be potentially more transmissible because its spike protein could undergo up to 30 mutations.

However, she said some experts were of the opinion that it might just pass us by without having a significant effect.

“Treatments such as antivirals like Paxlovid are still efficacious with current strains. Even if people get reinfected by BA.2.86, the immune memory will still allow their immune system to kick in and control the infection far more effectively as many have received their booster doses.

“The current advice is still the same – get your boosters, wear masks in public spaces, wash your hands and maintain good ventilation. It is expected that new vaccines against the new strains will be available soon,” added Prof Sharifa Ezat.

Universiti Putra Malaysia’s associate professor of virology Dr Chee Hui Yee said it was still too early to conclude how dangerous the subvariant was as only some 31 genomic sequences of the Pirola variant had been recorded with the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data.

“Close monitoring and observation are needed and I would like to suggest for Malaysia to do whole genome sequencing on more recent samples to track the variant,” she said.

“We can live our lives as usual, but take more precautions when travelling overseas.”The subvariant has also been found in wastewater samples in several countries, including Britain and Thailand.

First found in Denmark in July, the subvariant has also been detected in South Africa, Portugal, Thailand, Sweden, Switzerland and Canada.

The United States is also expecting updated versions of Covid-19 vaccines that have been tweaked to enable the body to ward off the current variants. In the meantime, Britain is fast-tracking its flu and Covid-19 vaccination drive for care home residents and those immunocompromised as a precautionary measure.While studies are ongoing to ascertain the traits and the effects of Pirola, sore throat, cough, headaches and a runny or blocked nose are said to be some of the symptoms.

On Aug 30, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it was monitoring the Pirola variant, adding that it was still too soon to ascertain its impact and degree of transmissibility.Based on an examination of Pirola’s mutation profile, the CDC said treatments such as Paxlovid, remdesivir and molnupiravir would be effective.

In the Yale Medicine Bulletin published on Aug 31, infectious disease specialist Dr Scott Roberts said the strain had been detected in at least six countries and that the cases were unrelated.

This, he said, suggested that there was some degree of transmission in the international community that had not been detected.Dr Roberts said with a greater degree of herd immunity as a result of infection and vaccination, the world was not as vulnerable to severe illness or infection from the coronavirus as it was at the height of the pandemic in 2020.

“Since the original version of SARS-CoV-2, many people have got infected, and many have been boosted. However, for many of us, it might have been a year or more since we’ve had a booster, so I would encourage everyone to get the updated shot, which is expected to come out in mid-September,” he added.

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Thursday, 20 April 2023

Mask up now !

More people are falling sick and seeking treatment at hospitals as the Air Pollutant Index readings seem to be going up in parts of the country. With the hazy and dry conditions, and Covid-19 still a concern, health experts are advising people to wear face masks when they are outdoors.

‘Take cover from virus, air pollution’

PETALING JAYA: Face masks now serve a dual purpose, protecting oneself from Covid-19 and also the haze that has been blanketing the country the past week, say experts.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh is advising the public to continue masking up, especially the elderly and children, to protect them from the harmful effects of the haze.

She said the air pollution consists of fine particles that could enter the human body through the respiratory system and cause health problems.

“The fine particles can go into our breathing system through our throat and lungs, which may cause health issues such as bronchitis. It could also settle on the skin and eyes, which can cause irritation,” the professor and public health expert said.

As Hari Raya Aidilfitri approaches, Prof Sharifa said the public should try to reduce outdoor activities.

“It is important to wear a face mask when outside, especially an N95 that could block fine particles.

“Haze is always related to extreme heat that could lead to heat stroke; hence, staying hydrated is also the best way to ensure good health conditions,” she said.

Prof Sharifa also said that setting up air purifiers in the house would also help ensure the indoor air is free of pollutants.

She also said that before visiting an area during Hari Raya, the public are advised to check the air pollution index (API) of the location.

“If the area records bad API readings, then, if possible, avoid going there,” she said.

Malaysian Medical Association president Dr Muruga Raj Rajathurai concurred, saying that the public must stay informed about the haze and take heed of any warnings or advice from the authorities.

“Face masks will indeed serve a dual purpose if the haze is still around during the Aidilfitri holidays.

“It will also be important to stay hydrated as the heat can cause dryness of the throat and eyes,” he said.

To continuously ensure Covid19 can be contained, Dr Muruga also said the public must wear face masks when visiting houses where there are vulnerable groups, such as the elderly.

“Those with an existing respiratory illness will need to take extra care to avoid exposure to both the haze and Covid-19.

“Whether it’s the haze or Covid19, if you’re having trouble breathing, you should go to the emergency department of a hospital immediately,” he added.

Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa has advised the public to take precautionary measures as the haze situation is expected to worsen, with air quality dropping in several areas of the country.

“People should limit physical activities during the hot weather that could lead to illness.

“Limit being outdoors, use suitable face masks and protect yourselves from the haze by using umbrellas and caps to prevent direct exposure to the hot weather,” she said in a statement yesterday.

She urged the public to halt activities that would lead to air pollution, such as smoking, and to drink more warm water (at least eight glasses) to prevent dehydration.

According to a Swiss air quality index (AQI) monitoring company, a monitoring station in Kuala Lumpur recently recorded an unhealthy air quality of 117.

However, as of yesterday afternoon, almost all 68 air pollution index (API) stations in the country showed moderate readings below 100.

The website also forecast that the AQI in Kuala Lumpur on Friday (April 21) and Saturday (April 22), when Hari Raya Aidilfitri is expected, would be moderate, with readings of 80 or higher.

Sunday, 29 January 2023

A New Zealand story that Asean can learn from

New Zealand - Wikipedia

Wellington

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern reacts following the announcement of her resignation at the War Memorial Hall in Napier, New Zealand, on Jan. 19. (Reuters/AAP Image/Ben McLay)

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern won the hearts of Muslims across the globe when she, wearing a headscarf, comforted the families of victims of the massacre in two mosques by a white supremacist in Christchurch in 2019. Last Thursday, she again astonished an even larger audience with her abrupt resignation, although she stands a great chance to win the upcoming election in October.

The mother of four-year-old Neve Te Aroha Ardern Gayford has undoubtedly made a name for herself as an icon of statesmanship. She has played a role model of a leader who not only does her best for her nation, but also knows when to fade away to ensure a sustainable succession. She could have sought a third term, but she shows she is not hungry for power.

"The responsibility to know when you are the right person to lead and also when you are not. I know what this job takes. And I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It's that simple," the 42-year-old politician said of her reason to step down.

With a population of 5 million, New Zealand is a tiny nation. But its economic size ranks the country among the world’s richest. The country is a permanent dialogue partner of ASEAN along with the United States, China, the European Union, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Russia and India. Unlike close neighbor Australia, which acts as the deputy sheriff of the US, New Zealand has distanced itself from the rivalry of major powers.

Through her exemplary decision, Ardern has taught politicians, male and female, a lesson that they should be ready to leave office when the public do not want them anymore, or else the people will force them to go. Some leaders are willing to step down but prepare their own men or children as successors, but this is clearly not the case in New Zealand under Ardern.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo may have to ask his die-hard supporters who have been pushing for his term extension to reflect on Ardern’s bold decision. To prevent rampant abuse of power, which was rampant during the New Order authoritarian rule, the Constitution was amended in 1999 to limit presidential tenure to only twice.

In fact, Indonesian political culture knows no resignation. Politicians or officials tend to cling on power as long as possible by justifying all means.

Ardern won the Labor Party leadership shortly before she won the 2017 election. Her party further won the 2020 election. At that time she was facing at least three major challenges which she could overcome: The 2019 shooting spree of Muslims, the COVID-19 pandemic and the eruption of the White Island Volcano. Her strict lockdown policy to contain the COVID-19 transmission was much criticized, but later she proved she was right and her critics wrong.

The Labor Party elected Education Minister Chris Hipkins as Ardern’s successor on Sunday. The party hopes Ardern’s graceful exit will help it win the October election.

The world loves to see her as a true mother of New Zealand. Her ability to simultaneously perform her state and personal responsibilities, as a mother and wife, inspired and was looked up to by women all over the world. From the beginning, she has proven that women can break the glass ceiling when it comes to the highest office, which in advanced democracies like the US has not yet happened.

She has taught a precious lesson to world leaders that they should know when to call it quits. A true leader will not wait until his or her people force them to go. And we all owe it to Ardern’s beautiful mind.

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Wednesday, 16 November 2022

Charting Malaysia’s direction

Active: Studies have shown that users of public transport have greater health benefits, as users walk or cycle instead of sitting in a car. — Filepic

MALAYSIA has experienced an extremely eventful period since the last general election in 2018. Since then, we have seen political instability with three prime ministers and three health ministers, a global pandemic causing five million cases and 36,000 deaths in Malaysia, multiple floods, a slowing economy, and rising cost of living.

The existence of the #RakyatJagaRakyat, #KitaJagaKita, and white flag movements paint the narrative of the rakyat feeling that they must be self-reliant and must depend on one another.

This solidarity is important. What’s equally important is to choose our political leaders carefully, in the form of elections.

While a general election is not a reset button which provides an immediate solution, it does offer a chance for the rakyat to chart Malaysia’s direction over the next five years.

In an increasingly crowded political climate, every vote matters. For example, in 2018, the State Legislative Assembly (SLA) seat of Ajil in Terengganu was won by a meagre margin of only four votes. This shows every vote is important and has the potential to determine who does or does not become the rakyat’s representative to Parliament or SLAs. Therefore, all Malaysians must exercise their constitutional right (and duty) to vote.

With the 15th General Election and state elections for Pahang, Perak, and Perlis falling on 19 Nov 2022, these are what we, as health practitioners, would like to see candidates offer:

Prioritise health in all policies:

Health is an important component in all public policies, not just in the Health Ministry. This is because health is affected by various factors associated with everyday living, from transport to employment rights, gender rights, poverty eradication and education. This is termed as the social determinants of health. For example, policies which make public transport safe and accessible would encourage public use of trains or buses, which could reduce stress and help address climate change.

Studies have shown users of public transport also have greater health benefits, as users walk or cycle instead of sitting in a car. This not only increases the fitness level of the users, but also reduces the risk of diabetes and hypertension.

This example shows the intricate connection between policies and health. Hence, when addressing voters with their manifestos, we look forward to candidates putting forward policies which champion the health and wellbeing of the rakyat, and for elected representatives to lobby and implement good health-centric policies.

Build continuity into the health reform process:

Many Bills were presented or planned to be presented to Parliament prior to its dissolution, for example, the Generational End Game anti-smoking bill and the Health Reforms White Paper. These two bills represent long-term efforts to reform the health system to improve the health of Malaysians, introduced by the strong and capable Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

These two Bills must survive the political transition process. Therefore, the reform process must be equipped with safeguards which allow them to be carried out on “autopilot mode” by our very competent civil servants, and ongoing projects should not be scrapped without good reason.

It is our sincere hope that whoever forms the government next would minimise the delay of the health reform process and build continuity into the health reform process.

Place capable individuals in positions of leadership:

Good practices begin with good leadership and placing the right persons in the right positions has strong implications. In past years, there have been individuals being celebrated for the impact they make despite the short duration of governance. Candidates for the elections, and subsequently for ministerial positions, must be made based on competence, merit, and their qualifications.

Specifically, the appointment of the health minister is important because we need people who can understand the needs and nuances associated with the role. While there have been strong performances from ministers without a medical background, the eventual government can also appoint non-elected and well-qualified technocrats to the role.

Besides that, the appointments to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on Health, Science, and Innovation are important as well. The PSC must provide strong recommendations and play an instrumental role in providing check and balance, to contribute to the strong performance of the Health Ministry in recent years.

Finally, while it is easy to forget, we are still in the middle of a pandemic. The Omicron sublineage variant of XBB has been reported to be the most antibody-evasive variant identified to date. It has been identified in over 26 countries and is spreading rapidly. In Malaysia, the seven-day average new case is nearing the 3,000 mark, which was last breached two months ago. Hence, we strongly encourage election campaigners to take necessary steps including holding virtual ceramah on social media to limit the spread of infection. Candidates being given equal airtime on mainstream media would be an efficient way to prevent the spread of infection as well.

At the same time, campaign managers should seek expert opinion prior to organising events as well. With the threat of the flood season, election campaigners must make sure the safety of the campaigners and the crowd are prioritised during the campaign and also on polling day. The Meteorological Department’s reports should be heeded and, should the event of disasters such as floods take place, the priority should be to save lives and ensure aid reaches affected families.

Come Nov 19, Malaysians have a chance to reset and restart the country. While the election has to take place, we must ensure it is a safe one for all involved: For voters, officials, volunteers, and candidates. We look forward to the safe execution of the 15th General Election and hope that the best of Malaysia will be elected, and not incompetent, corrupt, or divisive politicians.

DR SEAN THUM and DR KHOR SWEE KHENG

(Drs Sean Thum and Khor Swee Kheng are part of the Malaysian Health Coalition)

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Saturday, 12 November 2022

Inhalable CanSino vaccine rolled out

Take a deep breath: A health worker administering a dose of CanSino Biologics inhalable Covid-19 vaccine in Lianyungang in China’s eastern Jiangsu province. — AFP

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CanSino Biologics’ inhalable Covid-19 vaccine. Photo: Shanghai Media Group via AP

BEIJING: Residents in the capital can start making appointments for an inhalable Covid-19 booster made by CanSino Biologics, media reported, while those in Tianjin city can now get it as the Chinese pharmaceutical firm distributes more supplies.

CanSino’s vaccine, called Convidecia Air, is an aerosol version of an inactive shot and was approved as an emergency-use booster by Chinese health authorities in September.

The financial hub of Shanghai and 13 cities in the eastern province of Jiangsu have already introduced the CanSino vaccine as a booster, the company had said.

Appointments for the vaccine in the capital can be booked on a mobile phone app for residents of one district, the official Beijing Business Daily reported yesterday.

Increasing the uptake of vaccinations is vital for China, which is sticking resolutely to its strict zero-Covid policy that aims to prevent large-scale outbreaks and fatalities, especially among the elderly.

China has relied on domestically produced, inactivated shots and has yet to import, or introduce its own version of an mRNA vaccine.

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Regarding the efficacy of its vaccine, Hong Kong-listed CanSino said in a statement on Wednesday that studies showed “using Convidecia Air as a heterologous booster generated much stronger immune responses than those induced by a homologous inactivated vaccine booster”.

The vaccine will be available in Tianjin from Thursday, it said.

The Hong Kong shares of CanSino rose as much as 11.8% to HK$119.80 on Thursday, their biggest gain since Nov 4. — Reuters

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Saturday, 5 November 2022

Mask up with new Covid-19 wave sweeping nation

PETALING JAYA: People should keep their face masks on in crowded and enclosed areas as the new Covid-19 wave sweeps the nation, says Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

Khairy said the public should remain vigilant and adhere to the TRIIS method – Test, Report, Isolate, Inform and Seek – should they be infected.

He also said the drug Paxlovid would be given to high-risk patients.

“Covid-19 cases have reached nearly 4,000 today (Thursday), with about 96% belonging to Category 1 and 2.

“We are experiencing a wave of infections. Whether the wave is big or small depends on our actions,” he said in a post on his Twitter account.

Prior to this, Khairy had said the nation was experiencing a small wave of Covid-19 cases due to the Omicron XBB subvariant.

On Monday (Oct 31) , he said that Covid-19 infections due to the XBB subvariant were expected to go up in the next few weeks – to between 3,000 and 5,000 daily cases – with the crest of the wave coinciding with the 15th General Election.

He reminded the public to be careful, especially with the country entering the campaign period for GE15.

Khairy also encouraged frontline staff, including Election Commission employees who will be on duty during GE15, to get a second booster vaccine dose.

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Malaysians told to mask up as new Covid-19 wave hits the nation
ahead of GE2022

COVID-19 Dashboard (Live)

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World faces risk of combined epidemic of influenza and COVID-19 in the coming winter: top Chinese epidemiologists.

Zhong Nanshan Photo: VCG

The world still faces the risk of a combined pandemic of COVID-19 and influenza, especially this winter, Zhong Nanshan, top Chinese respiratory diseases expert, said on Tuesday in The World Flu Day 2022 Symposium that more efforts are needed to tackle the scientific problems of influenza prevention and control during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Both COVID-19 and influenza viruses are respiratory viruses, and respiratory virus infections tend to have a short incubation period, rapid and wide spread, strong transmission, high incidence, and are difficult to control," Zhong pointed out. Once the epidemic caused by respiratory viruses breaks out, it often leads to serious public health crisis, and then becomes the focus of the prevention and control of infectious diseases in the world.

At the conference, Dong Chen, an academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, also said that the world still faces a high risk of overlapping epidemics of respiratory infectious diseases such as influenza and COVID-19, and the prevention of that still has a long way to go.

"Since June, there has been a new outbreak of avian influenza in Europe and an unprecedented outbreak of H5N1 infection in birds in the US, with a very high risk of spillover into humans. So the combination of influenza and COVID-19 is a very big challenge for us this winter and next spring," Gao Fu, former head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and an academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, also warned that the current level of COVID-19 vaccination is gradually increasing, but the flu vaccination rate is generally low.

Due to COVID-19 prevention and control measures, data over the past two years have shown that influenza prevalence level has remained low. But things are gradually changing.

As COVID-19 flares up in several places across China with total daily cases nearing 3,000, many localities, including Central China's Henan and South China's Guangdong, are stepping up efforts to contain the virus and resume work and life as soon as possible.

On Tuesday, 465 new confirmed cases were reported nationwide. As Tuesday, 31 Chinese provinces, regions and municipalities have reported 4,854 confirmed cases.

Zhang Wenqing, Director of WHO Global Influenza Programme, said in the conference that at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the influenza situation was very weak around the world, but the change occurred in the second half of 2021. The data showed an increase in influenza virus activity in many countries, both in the northern and southern hemispheres.

"In some countries in the southern hemisphere, influenza virus is more active than it was before the COVID-19 outbreak," Zhang said. This points to the important question of whether the northern hemisphere will see the same seasonal flu spike as the southern hemisphere.

Talking about the reasons for this change, Gao said one possible reason is that in the past three years, public health measures have been implemented globally, which has caused the overall population to have a weak immunity to influenza viruses. Some countries have relaxed their public health policies recently, making it more likely that new strains will emerge, Gao warned. At the same time, the low rate of influenza vaccination also causes the situation that the influenza virus is easy to spread.

As for how to effectively deal with this crisis, scholars from different regions and countries, such as Russia and the UK, agreed that the experience of COVID-19 prevention and control is worth learning, for example, the development of rapid and accessible diagnostic methods may play a crucial role in the prevention and control of influenza epidemic.

Zhong believes that basic research and clinical research have important scientific and practical significance in the diagnosis, treatment, and control of respiratory viruses. The COVID-19 epidemic has promoted basic research on pathogenesis and accelerated the development of rapid clinical diagnostic methods, and provided an important basis for the clinical practice of epidemic prevention and control and the judgment of disease prognosis.

In recent years, China has made a series of landmark achievements in respiratory virus research, Dong added.

Basic research has made progress in respiratory viruses, etiology, structural biology, immunology, and cross-species and so on, and formed a good technical reserve, which can provide guidance for the prevention and control strategy of influenza, Dong said.

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